Thanks for the very favourable review of "Flora Britannica" in the January issue of the "Monthly Review". Explains that there will be a longer delay in publishing the remaining volumes in order to compare Cryptogamia and fungus in [James] Dickson's "Cryptogamia", [Erik] Acharius' "Prodromus Lichenographiae Suecicae", and [Christiaan Hendrik] Persoon's "general work on fungi"; and have a further two seasons of spring to work on 'Salix'. Responds to remarks made in the review on nomenclature.

Received Smith's letter of 16 November 1800. Surprised by Smith's statement that 'Polypodium cambricum' is a variety of 'Polypodium vulgare'. Discussion of flowers of 'Malaxis loeselii' and 'Malaxis [rheedei]' ('Epidendrum resupinatum' Forst.), believes 'Limodorum nutans' Rox. and 'Epidendrum candatum' are of the 'Malaxis' genus. Would like to send Smith his last paper on the 'Orchideous' order. Hopes Smith received the cryptogamous plants he previously sent.

Discussion of 'Carex': has received several new species of 'Carex' from Lapland. One is from 71 degrees latitude, believes it is the "primitive" 'Carex leporina' of "Flora Lapponica" and has named it 'Carex [lagopodioides]' as they intend the 'leporina' name for the common one or the "ovalis Gooden.". Requests specimens of the 'Carex' from Smith's paper in fifth volume of "Linnean Transactions", except 'Carex tomentosa' [Smith has annotated: "sent binervis, laevigata, fulva & distans"], in addition to 'C. rigida' [ticked by Smith], 'C. pulla', 'C. axillaris' [ticked by Smith], 'C. teretiuscula' [ticked by Smith], 'C. divisa', and 'C. paludosa'. Asks if Smith agrees that the English 'Polypodium ilvense' is quite different from the Linnaean one, which is common in Sweden. Surprised to find that what was labelled a specimen of 'Cypripedium bulbosus' was in fact a true 'Linodori' and not a 'Cymbidium' as he thought. Asks what species of 'Salix' the Huntingdon or Leicester willow is. [Erik] Acharius and [Johan Peter] Westring worthy candidates for Linnean Society. Surprised that Corrêa has not heard of his election to the Stockholm Academy of Sciences and fears his letters to him have miscarried. [Adam] Afzelius is well.

Relief that the tension between Britain and Sweden has abated. Two parcels sent, the first contains: lichens from [Erik] Acharius; a second paper on 'Orchidea' inserted in a volume of transactions of [Swedish] Academy [of Sciences], in between the leaves of which he has inserted specimens of mostly new 'Carex' provided by [Georg] Wahlenberg [(1780-1851)]; specimens of 'Musci frondosi'; and copy of "Dispositio systematica muscorum frondosorum Sveciae". The second parcel contains: first two volumes of "Flora Indiae occidentalis"; [Carl Peter] Thunberg's "Icones pl. Japonicarum"; first 13 plates from "Icones plant. ind. occid."; and packs of West Indies grasses.

Asks if Smith knows 'Festuca arundinacea', it is almost a fascimile of 'Poa aquatica', and 'Arundo stricta'. Wahlenberg has gathered many plants from northern Lapland and also discovered a new 'Arenaria (sulcata)' and a 'Myosotis (related to virginica)', will send them next time. Wahlenberg is working on a "synopsis 'Caricum'" and planning another trip as far north as Nordcap. Asks Smith's opinion of his work on 'Orchidea', explains some of his observations, the papers are published in transactions of [Swedish] Academy [of Sciences]. He has also "laboured through" the ferns, the paper is published in [Heinrich Adolph] Schrader's "Journal [of Botany]". Asks Smith's opinion of [Christaan Hendrik] Persoon's "Synopsis fungorum", and if [Johann] Hedwig's posthumous "Species muscorum" and "Icones filicum" have appeared in England.

Numbered observations on enclosed specimens, requests Smith's opinion: 1. a 'Galium' [Smith annotation: "'G. veri' var?"]; 2. a 'Carex' [Smith annotation: "'recurva'"]; 3. a 'Euphorbia' [Smith annotation: "'portlandica'"]; 4. a 'Bryum'; 5. a 'Bryum', possibly 'B. elongatum' of [James] Dickson [Smith annotation: "yes"]; 6. a 'Stellaria' he has cultivated for 2 years [Smith annotation: "'scapigera'"]; 7. a 'Fistula' found growing among roots of 'Arundo arenaria' in 1796 [Smith annotation: "'rubra'"]; 8. supposed 'Torritus alpina', found with 'Carex' no.2.; 9. an 'Achillea' quite distinct from 'A. alpina'.

Thanks for information in Smith's last letter; discusses confusion regarding his and [John] Mackay's [(1772-1802), employed at Dickson nursery, Edinburgh] specimens of 'Thlaspi hirtum' and discovery of the plant; discusses "certain people" taking the credit for plant discoveries when not due, and Dr [John] Walker's [(1731-1803)], professor of natural history at Edinburgh, subsequent guardedness over his herbarium; his dissatisfaction with Mackay and [Robert] Brown over claiming credit.

Numbered observations on enclosed plants: 1. a 'Potomogeton'; 2. a 'Juncus'; 3. an 'Arenaria'; 4. 'Epilobium cordifolium', believes it distinct from the normal 'E. cordifolium'; 5. a 'Carex'; 6. a 'Calatouche'; 7. a 'Cochelaria'; 8. 'Saxifraga nivalis'; 9. a 'Peziza' found on leaves of 'Carex pulla'; 10. a 'Lycoperdon'; 11. 'Bryum ricursotum'; 12. a new 'Bryum'; 13. nondescript 'Hypnum', proposes name 'H. alpinum'; 14. nondescript 'Hypnum'; 15. 'Bryum nudum'; 16. 'Splachnum purpureum'; 17. 'Splachnum ovatum'; 18. 'Hypnum asplenioides'; 'Stellaria scopigera'; 19. a 'Phascum' which he calls 'P. maritium' [Smith annotation: "'Gymnost[omum]'"] ; 20. a 'Polytrichum'; 21. a 'Lichen' gathered with no.11 [Smith annotation: "'crenulata'"]; 22. nondescript 'Helvela'; 23. a 'Hypnum' resembling 'H. fontinalis'; 24. a 'Bryum' [Smith annotation: "'rufescens"]; 25. a 'Peziza' found growing on 'Urtica dioica'; 26. a 'Boletus'; 27. a 'Sergula'.

Included as many cryptogams as possible, knowing Smith is working on that part of "Flora Britannica".

Thanks for £10 bank note and drawings. Suffering from headaches in the heat, expects relief at Lowestoft, [Suffolk]. Pleased Sowerby agrees with him about genus 'Phallus', "the old trivial names are unnecessarily indecent". His pupil, [William Fitt Drake], will look for anything curious at Lowestoft. Uncertain about Sowerby's 'Salix', which may be 'S. amygdalina'.

His sister Mrs Weston has had a girl, and his brother Francis' wife a boy. Expecting a visit from [Richard] Relhan. Wishes to know how to send a parcel to Sweden.

Thanks Smith's mother for turkeys. Has received pamphlets. Glad to hear of Smith's progress in arranging, and writing, papers of [John] Sibthorp. Institut Français has begun its election of foreign members, including President Jefferson of USA for political economy, Dr Hayden for belles-lettres and Banks for geometry and physics. Has heard of disputes in Linnean Society over election of foreign members.

Asks Smith to thank Mr Grave for "his magnificent present" of a swan, and Smith's mother for turkeys. Uncertain how the "sudden and unexpected concussion" caused by resignation of Prime Minister William Pitt will end, "dear old England cannot suffer much" [Pitt resigned after an impasse was reached over Catholic Emancipation].

Account of his botanical tour of the the Connemara area of the county of Galway, Ireland, undertaken in August and September 1801, and his discovery of 'Eriocaulon decangulare'. This area had never before been explored by botanists except for Llhwyd in 1699 [Edward Lhuyd ? (1660-1709), Keeper of Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, 1690-1709]. Brief account of geography of Connemara.

Lists numerous authorities and previous descriptions of the 'Eriocaulon decangulare' he discovered, including: Linnaeus "Sp. Pl." 129 "Mantissa alt." 167 327, "Philosphical Transactions of the Royal Society" v.59.241, [John] Lightfoot "Scot" 569, being the 'Nasmythia articulata' of [William] Hudson "Ang" ed. alt. 414-415, the 'Eriocaulon septangulare' of [William] Withering ed. 3.184, the 'Eriocaulon decangulare' in "Flora Carolin[ian]" 83, Lamarck "Encyclop" tom.3.276. Jancinelle d'ecangulare, "English Botany" vol.II. 733, the 'Eriocaulon septangulare' of [Carl Ludwig] Willdenow "Sp. pl." v.1.486. It inhabits the edges of bodies of water across Connemara and Galway. Analyses its character as described in "English Botany", and by Lightfoot and Hudson. Believes Hudson should have used the trivial name 'reticulata' and not 'articulata', and that the generic name was changed to 'Nasmythia' to honour [John] Nasmyth [(1557-1613)], botanist and surgeon to James I. His own observations on its character. A specimen of his 'Eriocaulon' is enclosed [extant].

Intends in his "Flora Hibernica" to only publish plant locations personally verified by himself in or with a living specimen.

Specimen, 'Eriocaulon'.

Transcribes extract on 'Schoena' from volume 4 of [Friedrich] Ehrhart's "Beiträge". Two new English lichens, 'Lichen abietinus' and 'Lichen citrinellus', have been sent to him by [John] Harriman. Disagrees with Smith over definition of [Friedrich] Ehrhart's 'paradoxa'.

Communicates his observations on "the small knobs frequently found on shells of the 'Anomia' genus", which he has discovered to be the ossified "tendinous ligature" of other unfortunate shells violently forced from their "adhesive situation".

Disagreements over 'Carex' between him and [John] Pitchford, who believes Goodenough's 'Carex fulva' is the 'C. distans' of all other authors and sent specimen to him of which Goodenough thinks it a slight variety of 'C. flava'. Pitchford believes everyone has been deceived by [William] Hudson's 'C. inflata' which is in fact Smith's 'C. laevigata'; Goodenough convinced it is his 'C. depauperata'. Continually asked when Smith's "Flora Britannica" will be completed. Wishes that he had been on hand when Smith was selecting specimens and writing for "English Botany". Believes that the arrival of peace [Treaty of London, signed 30 September 1801, a preliminary peace between Britian and France] will be particularly beneficial for natural history, hopes that Britain will "keep the lead in science, as we have undoubtedly in naval glory" but dreads introduction of revolutionary principles.

At request of [Alexander] Macleay encloses copy of proposed [Linnean Society] charter for Smith's opinion. [William] Kirby's work on 'Apis' in the press, as is his own "Entomologia Britannica".